Word Origin & History

"depression, ill-humor," 1743, probably originally Scottish and northern English; earlier as a verb, "panic, fail through panic," (1737), said to be 17c. Oxford University slang, perhaps from Flemish fonck "perturbation, agitation, distress," possibly related to Old French funicle "wild, mad."

Example Sentences for funking

After his boasted avidity to execute the service, he must wear an air of funking it.

You guessed that the chief who led us against those Spaniards was funking!

Guess I've never done a thing to allow any man to think I was funking.

It was no use, he said, snivelling, or funking the thing; so he went into battle valiantly.

George almost hoped she would, for he was, as he confessed to himself, “funking it.”